How hard is it to get callbacks from firms in markets like LA, DC and Chicago without ties?I have no desire to go back home and NY BIGLAW makes me want to vomit. a lot. Any market suggestions other than the above??? I'm fairly open. THANKS.

How difficult would it be to crack the LA market coming out of UVA? Without ties to LA, I mean. I think the only tie I have to LA is that my law school choice came down to UCLA and UVA....

so why do you want to move to LA?

Because I love the weather, beach, nearby mountains, and women? That would be my honest answer, but that's not how I would answer to a firm. I was so close to going to UCLA because I was interested in working in LA, but I wasn't positive that's where I wanted to be. I wanted to leave other options open, so I chose UVA.

You will be sorely disappointed if you expect LA, DC, Chicago or any other BIGLAW for that matter to be notably different from NY BIGLAW.

SteelersandGators,

I interviewed in LA, DC, Boston and NY. A firm will pretty much buy any rational reason for your desire to work in one of these markets (I cannot speak for Chicago). I lived in New England for a few years (15 years ago) and told Boston firms that I wanted to return. I went to college in the West (not CA) and told California firms that I preferred the western lifestyle. Finally, I told DC firms that I was interested in politics and government. I wasn't lying. All of these things are true, albeit somewhat exaggerated for persuasive effect.

I realize this is kind of an assholish post but it always bafles me when people post on internet fora to ask questions like "where should i begin my career, I am open to suggestions." Seriously, I think you know better where you want to live than a bunch of people who don't know you or anything about you other than you don't like new york or wherever it is that you are from.

The answer is that Chicago will be the easiest to break into. Ties don't matter as much for DC, but your grades will. It tends to be a tough market for anyone hovering around the median because all the geeky law students want to work there. I'd be cautious about just bidding in LA because things may be pulled way back this year because of the economy -- you might want to bid on two cities. But honestly, you need to think things through a little more because Chicago, DC and LA are entirely different places, and you need to sort out some priority in your head for them.

You might want to think about a few of the firms in NY with better reputations for good quality of life (Hughes Hubbard, etc.) too.

I'm considering DC and SF, with no "real" ties to either place (I've visited a lot, have friends there and my bf is applying to grad school in both locations). How should I pitch my interest in these places? How hard will it be to crack the markets? I'm reluctant to use my personal life in interviews, but my reasons for wanting these cities are mostly personal.